Sasikala reaches Chennai after 23 hr road trip from Bengaluru

Expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikalaon Tuesday arrived here, 23 hours after her departure fromBengaluru, where she had served a four year jail term in acorruption case and also underwent treatment for COVID-19.

The 65 year-old former confidante of late Chief MinisterJ Jayalalithaa arrived at T Nagar around 7 am on Tuesday.

Her nephew and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK)leader TTV Dhinakaran, who indicated Sasikala might contestelections, said his efforts to ''retrieve'' the AIADMK willcontinue and asserted that the aim was to ensure that DMK didnot come to power in the coming Assembly polls in the state.

Top actor Rajinikanth had enquired about Sasikala'shealth with him on Monday, he told reporters here.

Earlier, Sasikala had left the Karnataka capital by caron Monday morning and was accorded a grand reception by hersupporters all along the way, till she reached the city thismorning.

Before reaching home, she visited the residence of AIADMKfounder and late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran at Ramapuramhere and paid floral tributes to his portrait and garlanded astatue of the popular leader installed there.

She was accompanied by Dhinakaran.

Sasikala earlier underwent her sentence in the Rs 66.65crore disproportionate assets case at the Parapana Agraharacentral prison in Bengaluru since February, 2017 and was setfree on January 27.

However, she remained at the Government Victoriahospital, where she had been admitted after testing positivefor COVID-19 while under judicial custody.

She was discharged from the hospital on January 31 afterwhich she stayed at a resort, about 35 km from Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, Dhinakaran told reporters that all efforts to'retrieve' the AIADMK will continue.

Further, ''we are strong (determined) that DMK should notcome to power and will take all efforts in this direction,'' hesaid.

Asked if AMMK and AIADMK would join hands to keep theDMK at bay, Dhinakaran said, ''as far as I am concerned, AMMKwas started in March 2018 to retrieve AIADMK and give Amma'srule.'' ''I have been saying this eversince. Our aim is toretrieve the AIADMK and when that will happen is in people'shands. I am confident that will happen,'' he added.

He also questioned DMK chief M K Stalin's assertion thata fresh probe by an enquiry commission will be launched intothe death of Jayalalithaa if the party comes to power, andquoted a Tamil saying to suggest it was not a genuine concern.

He also charged the DMK with making baseless allegationsagainst Sasikala on this issue.

The AMMK leader said Stalin had raked up the matterduring the 2017 RK Nagar bypoll, which Dhinakaran won,following the death of Jayalalithaa who then represented thecity segment in the Assembly.

To a question, he said his aunt Sasikala may contestelections, though she may have served a prison term in acorruption case.

''There is time. She may not be able to contest underthe present conditions but there are options available in thelaw... can approach court successfully,'' he added.

He was a ''positive thinker'' and therefore he believesSasikala could face the polls, Dhinakaran said.

He also declined to respond to a question if the BJP wasinvolved in a possible AIADMK and AMMK tie-up, saying it was'speculation.' Pointing out at Sasikala's court case against herexpulsion by the AIADMK led by O Panneerselvam and KPalaniswami, he said she will continue with her ''legalstruggle.'' He recalled when Jayalalithaa was the party GeneralSecretary, she had all the authority in the top post tosummon General Council and make appointments, and claimednobody else could do so.

After Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016, Sasikalawas elected interim general secretary of the AIADMK and alsoits Legislature Party Leader later, paving the way for herelevation as chief minister, but she had to serve the jailterm after the Supreme Court restored the lower court award.

The AIADMK suffered a split with Panneerselvam, nowdeputy chief minister, and chief minister Palaniswami headingtwo factions, but they later merged the groups and thegeneral council of the combined party expelled Sasikala inSeptember, 2017 along with Dhinakaran and others.

Asked if his aunt would 'summon' the General Councilof the AIADMK now, Dhinakaran said only she can answer that.

PTI SAROH ROH